'Did what I had to do': Mother charged with murder for killing man she found hiding under her daughter's bed

A woman in Tennessee is behind bars after shooting and killing a man who she says she caught hiding under her daughter's bed, according to law enforcement in the Volunteer State.

Kendra Scott, 36, stands accused of one count each of first-degree murder and employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony over the shooting that took the life of 20-year-old Rodderius Morton, according to the Memphis Police Department.

The underlying incident occurred Wednesday at a residence on Travis Road in the Walker Homes neighborhood of Memphis.

Police responded to the house around 1:45 a.m. and found a man lying in the front yard near the porch with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to an affidavit obtained by Memphis-based NBC affiliate WMC and CBS affiliate WREG.

Law enforcement later identified the man as Morton.

At the scene, a woman allegedly told police she "saw a dude under my kids' bed, and I did what I had to do," according to the affidavit. Law enforcement later identified that woman as the defendant.

As the investigation progressed, police spoke with a neighbor who said he heard banging and went outside to find the wounded man near the front porch. The same neighbor also allegedly said he saw Scott standing in the front yard, gun in hand, saying, "I shot him, I shot him."

Investigators also spoke with a girl at the residence who said that Morton had been invited inside and came in through the back door around 1 a.m., according to the charging document. Scott came home around 1:30 a.m., the juvenile told police. The defendant was allegedly knocking loudly at the front door and yelling, "Who's at my house?"

The girl went on to tell investigators that she was afraid of Scott because the defendant was visibly angry and toting a gun, police said. The girl also said Scott had previously told her: "If I see a boy in the house, then I will put a hole in his a—."

Eventually, the girl opened the door and let Scott inside the residence, according to the charging document. At this time, Morton was hiding under the bed in the girl's room, police said.

As Morton tried to leave, Scott found him and the two began to argue, the girl told law enforcement. The argument quickly devolved to Scott yelling at the victim to "Get out of my house, b—," according to the affidavit. Then, the man made it to the front porch.

But Scott was allegedly right there with him, according to the charging document. The girl said she then heard a single shot ring out.

The defendant is being detained in the Shelby County Jail without bond. She is slated to appear in court on Monday.

The post 'Did what I had to do': Mother charged with murder for killing man she found hiding under her daughter's bed first appeared on Law & Crime.